God’s Word Translation
Nehemiah 2:6
6Then, while the queen was sitting beside him, the king asked me, “How long will you be gone, and when will you come back?” When I gave him a specific date, he was willing to let me go.
Nehemiah 2:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), “How long will your journey be? And when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
Context of Nehemiah 2:6
4“What do you want?” the king asked me. So I prayed to the God of heaven, 5and I asked the king, “If it pleases Your Majesty, and you are willing to grant my request, let me go to Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild it.” Then, while the queen was sitting beside him, the king asked me, “How long will you be gone, and when will you come back?” When I gave him a specific date, he was willing to let me go. 7I also asked the king, “If it pleases Your Majesty, let me have letters addressed to the governors ⌞of the province⌟ west of the Euphrates River. In the letters tell them to grant me safe conduct until I arrive in Judah. 8Also, let me have a letter addressed to Asaph, the supervisor of Your Majesty’s forest. In the letter order him to give me wood for the gates of the fortress near the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I’ll move into.” (The king let me have the letters, because God was guiding me.)
Read all of Nehemiah 2Nehemiah 2:6 word by word
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ לִ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וְהַשֵּׁגַ֣ל׀ יוֹשֶׁ֣בֶת אֶצְל֗וֹ עַד־מָתַ֛י יִהְיֶ֥ה מַֽהֲלָכֲךָ֖ וּמָתַ֣י תָּשׁ֑וּב וַיִּיטַ֤ב לִפְנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֔נִי וָֽאֶתְּנָ֥ה ל֖וֹ זְמָֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me, (the queenשֵׁגָלshêgâl · queenH7694
- also sittingיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- by himאֵ֫צֶל'êtsel · besideH681
- For how long shall thy journeyמַהֲלָךְmahălâk · journeyH4109
- be? and when wilt thou returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- So it pleasedפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
- So it pleasedיָטַבyâţab · be goodH3190
- to sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- me; and I setנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- him a timeזְמָ֑ןzemân · timeH2165
Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:6
- Nehemiah 2:4“What do you want?” the king asked me. So I prayed to the God of heaven,
- Nehemiah 1:11Lord, please pay attention to my prayer and to the prayers of all your other servants who want to worship your name. Please give me success today and make this man, King Artaxerxes, show me compassion.” I was cupbearer to the king at this time.
- Isaiah 58:12Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the foundations of past generations. You will be called the Rebuilder of Broken Walls and the Restorer of Streets Where People Live.
- Isaiah 61:4They will rebuild the ancient ruins. They will restore the places destroyed long ago. They will renew the ruined cities, the places destroyed generations ago.
- Isaiah 65:24Before they call, I will answer. While they’re still speaking, I will hear.
- Nehemiah 5:14During the 12 years that I was governor of Judah, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign to the thirty-second year of his reign, my brothers and I never ate any food that was paid for by the governor’s food allowance.
- Nehemiah 13:6While all of this was taking place, I wasn’t in Jerusalem. In the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes’ reign in Babylon, I returned to the king. Later, I asked the king for permission to return.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6The queen also sitting by him - Who probably forwarded his suit. This was not Esther, as Dean Prideaux supposes, nor perhaps the same Artaxerxes who had taken her to be queen; nor does שגל shegal signify queen, but rather harlot or concubine, she who was chief favourite. The Septuagint translate it , harlot; and properly too. See the introduction. I set him a time - How long this time was we are not told; it is by no means likely that it was long…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6The queen - Though the Persian kings practiced polygamy, they always had one chief wife, who alone was recognized as “queen.” The chief wife of Longimanus was Damaspia. I set him a time - Nehemiah appears to have stayed at Jerusalem twelve years from his first arrival Nehemiah 5:14; but he can scarcely have mentioned so long a term to the king. Probably his leave of absence was prolonged from time to time.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6How long will your journey take (see Ezra 5:14): Nehemiah likely asked for a short time at first and later requested more time.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-96-9. the queen also sitting by him--As the Persian monarchs did not admit their wives to be present at their state festivals, this must have been a private occasion. The queen referred to was probably Esther, whose presence would tend greatly to embolden Nehemiah in stating his request; and through her influence, powerfully exerted it may be supposed, also by her sympathy with the patriotic design, his petition was granted, to go as deputy governor of…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 2:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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